The Cribs

One of my all-time favourite bands, now fully coherent and engaging. Top gig.

Date: May 7

Venue: Rock City

Some bands are criticised for ‘making the same record over and over again’, thumbing the dog-eared mandate continuously, never emerging from the rigid template of monotony.

The Hives suffer with this accusation. Before them it was AC/DC. The Cribs are no strangers to this outrageous insult.

And while it’s fair to say that new album, In the Belly of the Brazen Bull, is no major departure from their previous output, in the live arena, songs which are perhaps pale on record, are given an industrial-sized spray tan and glow with an effervescent tinge.

The band – containing three brothers, Ryan, Ross and Gary Jarman – are one of this country’s must-see live acts, due to their unrelenting frenetic punk bursts and the euphoric bluster buzz of their impressive back catalogue

Lead man Ryan may still be rocking the ridiculous ‘Lego Man’ bowl cut, but at least his vim has blossomed. He appears bouncy, potent and frothing with excitement; a crazed demonic Beelzebub, screeching with the spirit of punk coursing through his veins.

They lunge head first into new song Chi-Town, which, along with their next single, Come on, Be A No-one, sound like age-old Cribs belters like Men’s Needs, Hey Scenesters! and Mirror Kisses, expertly channeling the rawness of MC5 and Johnny Thunders.

It’s been four years since their last visit to the city and while there are a few hiccups, this is punk-rock in its purest, undiluted form. When has that ever been perfect? And who cares anyway?